


It's A Game He Likes To Play

by CaptainLeBubbles



Series: The Hallmarks of a Family (Hallmarks AU) [14]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Friend vs Boyfriend, M/M, Microfic, qrow is sick of their shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23361805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainLeBubbles/pseuds/CaptainLeBubbles
Summary: Roman wasn't expecting James to stick around this long. He was sure James would have broken Qrow's heart and fucked off by now.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen & Roman Torchwick, Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Series: The Hallmarks of a Family (Hallmarks AU) [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1200967
Comments: 7
Kudos: 36





	It's A Game He Likes To Play

**Author's Note:**

> This is the last of the unpleasant shorts; the remaining four range along the spectrum of silly or cute, so y'all can untense now. This one actually wasn't planning, I just threw it in at the last minute, hence why it's a little slapdash, but I needed to set up one of my later shorts.

-/-

Qrow had never been to Roman’s apartment- even when they were hooking up, they always went to the breakroom or bathroom, or one memorable occasion the alley out back. Roman always said he valued his privacy, and didn’t want drunken randos at his place, and Qrow had (mostly) allowed this with minimal pouting.

Now, though, Qrow really needed to talk to his friend, and the bar wasn’t an option. So he stood at the door and leaned on the bell until he heard distant, muffled yelling and, after a few long minutes, the door opened to reveal Roman. He looked annoyed when he saw it was Qrow.

“What do you want.”

“I wanted to talk to you.” He glanced up the stairs behind Roman to his apartment door. “...can I come up?”

“No. We can talk down here.”

He gestured vaguely at the stairs; they sat down, and for a long moment it was quiet while Qrow tried to figure out exactly what to say. He’d practiced on his way over but all of that had gone out of his mind now.

After awhile, Roman made to stand and said, “Look, if you’re not going to talk I’m going back up.”

“The other day,” Qrow said hastily, and Roman sat back down. “At the party. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Tai told me about your conversation with Jimmy. Were you trying to get us to fight?”

“Look, it’s not my fault if he can’t handle knowing another man has touched you.”

“Oh my god, you did! You did it on purpose! Why? Was it because of what I said about you and Tai?” There was a beat, and Roman looked away, glowering at the distant wall. Qrow stood and paced a little, suddenly agitated. “So, what, I annoyed you so you decided to screw with my relationship? Is that it?”

“Don’t be stupid, one dance wouldn’t have screwed with anything if your precious perfect Jimmy wasn’t a possessive asshole.”

“What?” Qrow stopped, and sat down rather heavily. “Wait do you… not like Jim?”

“Wow, what a fucking reveal that is!” Roman turned his glower on Qrow. “Newsflash, Qrow, I’ve hated him the whole time! I know it must be hard for you to imagine that anyone could not like him, but he’s an asshole.”

“So are you?” Qrow sighed. “Damn, and here I thought you’d been a dick to him just for fun.”

“I am. It’s fun because he’s an asshole and deserves it.”

Qrow sighed, and buried his face in his hands. “You know what’s dumb? I’m always telling him to give you some leeway because of how important you are to me, and this whole time you’ve been just as bad as he is. So you know what? Here’s the deal. You’re important to me. You are. I love you like a brother, almost as much as I love my actual brother.”

“Which given some of the things I’ve done with you, is kind of awkward to say.”

Qrow ignored him and pressed on. “And Jimmy- he’s not going anywhere, Torch. I intend to spend the rest of my life with this man.”

Roman sighed, and turned away again. Qrow reached over to rest a hand on his shoulder until he turned back.

“Look, you’re both really important to me, and I’m sick of being in the middle of you. So- so you’re gonna have to find some way of burying the hatchet. For  _ my _ sake, if nothing else.”

“I will if  _ he _ will.”

Qrow shook his head and stood. “I don’t care. Figure it out with Jim, I’m washing my hands of this.”

-/-

**Author's Note:**

> From where James is standing, he's the lead in a romance novel and his boyfriend's friend is needlessly hostile to him. From where Roman's standing, he's in a friends story and his best friend just started dating the biggest asshole in the world.


End file.
